ICOMOS advisory mission to the World Heritage site of Seville

From 7 to 9 November 2011, experts from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) undertook an advisory mission to examine development projects affecting the World Heritage site "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Sevilla", inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1987.

At its three last sessions, the World Heritage Committee discussed the state of conservation of the site and has requested the State Party "to halt the construction works and reconsider the current high-rise project in order to avoid any possible adverse impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property" (35 COM 7B.110).

Undertaken at the invitation of the Spanish national authorities, the ICOMOS experts reviewed the overall situation of the World Heritage site "Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Sevilla" with regard to its state of conservation in the wider urban context, its integrity and authenticity. The mission experts met with local and national authorities, private companies and local NGOs, and specifically assessed the impact of the Torre Pelli-Cajasol on the Outstanding Universal Value of the site.

The mission's findings, as well as the review of any additional documents, will form the basis for the reporting to the World Heritage Committee at its next session in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, in June 2012. The Committee will thus take a decision on the status of the property on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The relevant working documents will be made available publicly six weeks before the Committee session on the World Heritage Centre's website.